Compressor outside during winter

[DamonM]

I'm building a 24x24 shop right now and have been thinking about a new compressor but am concerned about noise inside the shop. My garage is ten feet from the shop and I thought maybe I could put the compressor in the garage and run a line in a trench to the shop. For those of you that have your compressor outside your shop do you need to worry about freezing temperatures? Would an automatic drain work in freezing temperatures?

 

[BillK]

Damon,
At my first shop location we had two compressors that were outside year round. They had a lean to type roof over them but that was it. When I moved to my current location I brought one of them with me. It is going on 40 years old and still running strong. I dont know about your area but around here almost all of the car dealerships and large body shops have their compressors outside. I dont think its anything to worry about.

 

[MarineScott]

My work place had to bring theirs in this year because the lines kept freezing, we live in W. Pennsylvania.

 

[kbs2244]

I wouldn't worry about a problem you do not have yet.

A search will reveal a number of compressor noise solutions.
My favorite is a muffler, or car intake assembly, on the intake side of the compressor.

 

[The Cobbler]

I've had a compressor in my non heated shed for years. 10' away from the shop. a cheap PVC airline connects it to the shop. never got around to digging a trench. never had a problem with freezing .

 

[nadogail]

If you can park your car outside, you can also park your compressor outside.
You may want to consider an intake silencer.

 

[Kaizen]

Yes it will freeze if there is water in the tank. Also your tools will ice up or you will get slush. I had a tank I sold and it had not been drained and had a block of ice. Had to wait for a warm day to drain. Put moisture separator and auto drain on and will be fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[DamonM]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feed back. I could put it in the garage but I also have a concrete bad along one side of the shop where I could build a closet for it.

 

[The Other Sean]

That's a lot of messing around when you can just put an intake silencer on or run the air intake outside...

 

[Denwood]

Have run two compressors in an outside shed for a few years now with no issues. They are plumbed in together. Temps here reach -35C in winter.

1. Change out crank case oil with synthetic. This is a must for me as at -35C the compressors will not start with conventional oil.
2. Empty water regularly when temps are positive. At very cold temps, relative humidity is quite low outside, so very little water accumulates in these conditions.
3. Not sure if auto drains work at freezing temps as I do mine manually.